1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a fusible link and a battery fuse unit containing the fusible link and more particularly relates to a fusible link adapted to be connected to a battery terminal to be engaged with a battery post and relates to a battery fuse unit that contains the fusible link and the battery terminal in a casing and is adapted to be mounted on a top part of a battery box.
2. Description of Related Art
Heretofore, an output side electrical cable is connected through a battery fuse to a battery terminal to be connected to a battery post. The battery fuse utilizes a fusible link in which a U-shaped terminal member includes an input terminal section, an output terminal section, a fusible section having a narrow width and provided between the input and output terminal sections, and a resin casing embedding a narrow portion of the fusible section. The fusible link permits upsizing due to the resin casing. When the fusible section is blown out, the fusible section cannot be viewed from outside and may generate smoke due to heat generation, because the fusible section is embedded in the resin casing.
In the case where a battery fuse unit that contains the battery terminal and battery fuse is disposed on a top part of a battery box and the battery terminal is joined to a battery post by bolt and nut means, because the battery fuse to be contained in a casing is upsized, the whole of the unit is upsized. An intermediate terminal is disposed between the battery fuse and the battery terminal in many cases. This increases the number of parts to be contained in the unit.
The applicant has previously disclosed a fuse with an electrical cable, which is not a battery fuse to be connected to the battery terminal, in Japanese Patent Public Disclosure 2001-52591. As shown in FIG. 7, the fuse 1 with an electrical cable includes a substrate 1a and a cable crimping-barrel portion 1b provided on an end of the substrate 1a. The substrate 1a has fusible sections 1c having narrow widths. The fusible sections 1c including the electrical cable crimped in the barrel portion 1b are molded in a protection member 2.
In the case of using the fuse 1 with an electrical cable, there is an advantage that an electrical cable is directly connected to the fuse. However, because the protection member 2 contains the fusible sections 1c, heat generation due to overcurrent is consumed to melt the molded resin and the fusible section is hardly blown out even by overcurrent greater than a setting value. This will lower reliability in fuse blowing. The blowing in the fusible section cannot be viewed from outside.
Because the above fuse cannot be directly connected to the battery terminal and an input terminal section and an output terminal section are disposed on the opposite ends of the fusible section, when the input terminal section is connected through an intermediate terminal and the output terminal section is connected to an electrical cable, the fuse cannot be efficiently arranged in a casing. This may upsize the battery fuse unit.